A day after Coyotes defenseman Rusty Klesla was sent to the hospital following a hit from Los Angeles Kings center Jordan Nolan in Sunday’s preseason opener at Jobing.com Arena, it was a Coyotes player that was slapped with the stiffest punishment.

Nolan was not suspended for hitting Klesla and wasn’t assessed a penalty on the play, but Coyotes enforcer Paul Bissonnette was handed a 10-game suspension Monday to be served in the regular season for leaving the bench in an illegal line change during an altercation on the ice.

Bissonnette was given a game misconduct for leaving the bench, and that results in an automatic 10-game ban. NHL precedent would allow Bissonnette to play in the remaining preseason games.

Bissonnette can appeal the suspension. It’s unclear if he’s decided to do so. He remained in the Valley Monday while the coaching staff and management were in Anaheim for a preseason game against the Ducks.

Midway through the first period of Sunday’s game, Klesla had the puck on his stick near the Coyotes bench when Nolan skated across and clipped Klesla with his shoulder, sending Klesla sprawling to the ice.

Nolan left his feet in the follow-through.

Klesla was motionless on the ice and was rolled from his stomach onto his back to a stretcher. He was able to wave to the crowd as he was being carted off the ice.

“It seemed to me like a guy got hit in the head, and a player left his feet,” coach Dave Tippett said after the game. “But that’s not for me to diagnose. The league does a good job of those and when they feel like there’s a violation committed, they take action.”

After getting looked at by the team’s medical staff at the arena, Klesla was taken to hospital for further evaluation and wasn’t released until between 3 and 4 a.m. Monday morning, Tippett said.

Klesla is at home resting comfortably but suffered a concussion and whiplash. There’s no timetable set for a return.

“He’s home, which is a good sign,” Tippett said.

NHL disciplinarian Brendan Shanahan determined the hit, although “punishing” and “resulted in Klesla suffering an injury,” did not break any league rules.

“Nolan leads with his shoulder, and the hit is not late by NHL standards,” Shanahan said in an explanation video. “Nolan does not deliver a blow with his elbow nor does he launch up and into the check. Actually, Nolan gets in front of Klesla and he hits squarely through the body and does not pick the head.”

Nolan and center Martin Hanzal were assessed roughing penalties for their scuffle after the hit.

Not long after Nolan exited the penalty box, Hanzal caught him with an elbow and another brawl ensued.

That’s when Bissonnette made an illegal line change, coming off the bench before a teammate returned to it, and joined the fracas. He was given a game misconduct for leaving the bench, and that triggers an automatic 10-game suspension.

“It was a (line) change,” Tippett said before the ruling was announced. “Biss was next going. I don’t know if he jumped early or what the situation was. It wasn’t much of an altercation.”

Bissonnette, who declined to discuss the sequence after Monday’s practice, will forfeit $37,820.51 in salary. He’ll be eligible to return to the lineup Oct. 24 when the Coyotes are in Los Angeles to play the Kings.

Michalek update

Defenseman Zbynek Michalek did not practice Monday after taking a puck to the mouth in Sunday’s game and requiring stitches. Instead, he worked out off the ice.

“You get hit with a puck in the mouth you feel miserable,” Tippett said. “Been there, done that. It’s not a fun day.”

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